As Nigerians continue to
react to D’Tigers Olympic ouster, retired Col. Sam Ahmedu, President, FIBA Africa Zone 3, says the senior men’s basketball team’s performance was not good enough.
Nigeria dropped out of the group stage of the ongoing Rio Olympics in Brazil following their losses to Argentina, Lithuania, Spain and Brazil and securing a victory over Croatia.
Ahmedu told newsmen in Lagos that the team could not surpass the record it achieved in the 2012 London Games managing only one victory and loosing the other games.
“We came last in the group stage of the 2012 London Games and repeated the same at Rio, this is not a good record and something needs to be done.
“The record is not good enough though the boys tried their best under the circumstances they found themselves, they can be commended.
“However, with proper administration and proper funding the team could perform better, recording a back to back berth in the Olympics is something to build on,’’ Ahmedu said.
Ahmedu added that the future is what should concern the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) and the Sports Ministry; how to organise the team in the areas of finance and administration.
According to him, the team must continue to grow in exposure to competitions and proper management which will encourage quality foreign and home-based players to represent their country.
“We have to move forward, and the most important thing is to set up programmes that will make us defend our 2015 Africa Championship title come 2017.
“We cannot afford to relax, the federation and the sports ministry must continue to work together for the success of the senior male and female teams.
“The age grade national male and female teams should also not be jettisoned, because they form the foundation of our future players,’’ he said.
The president also said that concerning the FIBA Africa Zone 3 Club championship hold in September/October and that Togo and Nigeria’s Kano Pillars Basketball Club are bidding to host the event.
“We have two countries who have submitted their bids to host the yearly event; so on Aug. 22, members of the FIBA Africa Zone 3 will decide who will host the event.
Similarly, former D’Tigers Captain, Olumide Oyedeji, said that the ouster of D’Tigers in the group stage was caused by the financial challenges and insurance faced by the federation.
Oyedeji who is also a board member of the NBBF, said: “The federation had no money and no support from anybody.
“It was very difficult to get sponsors to key in to the federation’s goals and plans,’’ Oyedeji said.
On Al Farooq Aminu who could not join the team because of insurance fees demanded by his U.S.-based Portland Blazers Club, Oyedeji said “it was very unfortunate because Aminu had showed up at the D’Tigers U.S. camp.
“It somehow looks crazy when a player will pay his own insurance fees to play for his country, that I did in 2001 and 2002 when I represented Nigeria.
“However, we are not pressurising any player to do that but it is very important the world knows what the federation is facing,’’ Oyedeji added.